Artificial christmas tree



March 16 1926.

W. DlEPERlN K-LANG EREIS ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE Original Filed Jan. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLEM DJEPERINK-LHVGEEEIS.

ATTORNEYS 7 March 16 1926. 1,577,207

w. DlEPERlNK-LANGEREIS ARTIFI CIAL CHRI STMAS TREE Original Filed Jan. 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YIIIIIIII/II/II.

WITNESSES IN VEN TOR A TTOR E YS Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED ST'A'IS'ES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTIFICTA'L CHRISTMAS TREE.

Application filed January 29, 1924, Serial No. 689,292. Renewed September 15, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLEM Dmrnnmx- LANGEREIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Warren, in the county of Warren and Statev of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Artificial Christmas Tree. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in artificial Christmas trees, an object of the invention being to provide a device of this character which is composed of readily assembled and se arable parts so that it can be built up an used and afterwards taken apart and stored in a relatively small space for future use.

A further object is to provide an artificial Christmas tree which 1s extremely ornamental and lends itself to display in store windows, on counters, tables and the like, and which will support a relatively large number of ornaments or articles and provide an eflieient substitute for the ordinary Christmas tree.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which while serving as a substitute for a natural tree will render a real service to the Nation in that it, will preclude the necessity of cutting the natural trees, and result in forest preservation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fi re 1 is a perspective view illustrating one orm of my improved artificial Christ- 4 mas tree;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of one of the removable wings;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the center post; p

Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the disks or shelves; v

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in transverse section illustrating a modification.

My improved artificial tree consists of a circular series of radially positioned wings 1 'which are connected to a center post 2 and also to disks or shelves 3. The 0st 2 is preferably of wood although it might be of metal or of any other suitable material. The wings 1 are 'n'et'erably of thin sheet mater al as, for example, heavy cardboard, art1fic 1al board, metal, or any other suitable material which can be cheaply made and which will be sufficiently strong for the purpose. The disks or shelves 3 maybe of wood, metal, or any other suitable material. It 1s, of course, to be understood that in constructing these parts the idea of strength, utility and economy is uppermost, and the lnvention is, therefore, not limited to the material employed, to the size, design or size of parts but is broadly to the construction and arrangement whereby the improved results are accomplished.

The post 2 is formed with longitudinal grooves 4', corresponding in number .to the number of wings 1 employed, as it is to be understood that the inner edges of the wings 1 are to fit within the grooves 4. The wings 1 are made with horizontal recesses 5, and the shelves or disks 3 are made with radial recesses 6 in their outer edges. The recesses 5 of the wings 1 receive the disks 3, and the recesses6 in the disks receive the wings, so that by this arrangement of recesses in the disks and the wings the parts are interlocked when assembled. Each disk 3 is formed with a central opening 7 to receive the post 4, and any desired number of such disks or shelves may be employed.

It will thus be noted that by coupling the disks and wings and positionin them on the post with the inner edges of t e wings engaging in the grooves of the post, a strong and effectual coupling of the parts ishad without the employment of any securing means. Hence, the structure can be readily assembled and taken apart and, due to the fact that the wings or disks are flat, the entire structure can be packed and stored in a relatively small space.

The wings 1 are shaped to simulate the appearance of'the branches and foliage of a Christmas tree and are preferably provided at their outer portions with light supports 8 which may receive any suitable form of lights '9 either electrical or other form of illuminating device. It is also to be understood that the parts, especially the elevation, I provide a pedestal 10 having a suitable base 11 and supporting at its upper end a frame 12 consisting of radially positioned arms, grooved in their upper faces as shown at 13 to receive the lower edges of the wings 1 and thus securely and removably hold the tree in place.

It is obvious that the artificial tree can be supported directly on the floor or ground without any pedestal and this is particularly true when considerable weight is placed upon the shelves. It is also apparent that a wlde range of modification is possible in the carrying out of this invention in its number, location and arrangement of shelves, in its number, location and arrangement of wings, and in the ornamental design, and the claims hereinafter following are drawn to the invention broadly and not limited as to specific detail.

Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An artificial Christmas tree, comprising ornamental wings, a center post,lhaving grooves receiving the inner edges of the wings, and a shelf located on the post and having removable interlocking engagement with all of the wings.

2. An artificial Christmas tree, comprising ornamental wings, a post having grooves therein receiving the inner edges of the wings, horizontal disks or shelves having openings receiving the post, and said disks and wings having registering recesses therein whereby the disks and wings are removably locked together.

3. An artificial Christn'ias tree, comprising a center post having longitudinal grooves therein, radial wings having their inner edges located in the grooves of the post, said wings having horizontal recesses therein, horizontal disks or shelves located in the recesses of the wings and having radial recesses receiving portions of the wings whereby the parts are coupled together by their interlocking engagement.

4. An artificial Christmas tree, comprising a center post, ornamental radial wings connected to the post, horizontal disks or shelves connected to the post and to the wings, a pedestal, and horizontal radially positioned grooved supports on the pedestal receiving the lower ends of the wings.

5. An artificial Christmas tree, comprising a circular series of vertically positioned ornamental wings having their inner edges adjacent each other and having horizontal recesses at their inner edges, and disks having recesses receiving the wings and located in the recesses of the wings whereby the disks function to couple the wings together.

WILLEM DIEPERlNK-LANGEREIS. 

